Community Bulletin Board #9 – Coen's Roots

Coen is a young man who was already tested by the harshness of the world. With a sick mother and a family to take care of, his life is further upheaved when he becomes a Dawnwalker.

This transformation will put his values and resolve to the test, but it will never shake his determination to protect those he loves.

Laslea is Coen’s home village, the place where he was born and raised under the rule of the human lord, Skender Dragosti. This secluded settlement couldn’t escape the devastating spread of the Black Plague, which brought heavy losses to its inhabitants.

Steam post image Concept art by Marta Przybysz Steam post image

Coen, his parents, and three siblings dwell in the hills of Laslea. As the eldest, he quickly had to take responsibility to help support the family. Always keeping a watchful eye on his younger siblings, he learned early what it meant to care for others. As a child, he even worked alongside his father in the silver mines, a harsh experience that left lasting marks on both his body and spirit.

Steam post image Concept art by Damian Bajowski

Pieter also taught Coen the basics of swordsmanship. A former mercenary with a troubled past he rarely speaks of, Pieter is a strict, emotionally distant, yet protective father figure. Under his influence, Coen quietly nurtures a different dream: in secret, he studies Latin, hoping that one day he might leave his current life behind.

Esme, Coen’s mother, has always put her family first – often at the expense of her own well-being. Since Brencis rose to power in the valley, her condition has worsened drastically. She no longer speaks, eats, or sleeps properly, and her health continues to decline as the family struggles to hold itself together.

Yanna, the second oldest, is mature beyond her years. Whenever Coen and Pieter are away, she takes on the responsibility of caring for Mirto and Lunka. Though she may lack patience at times, her determination to keep the family united never falters.

Once a quiet child, Mirto has grown increasingly restless as his parents became emotionally absent. Yanna believes this is only a phase, though she may simply be trying to reassure herself when tensions rise.

Lunka, the youngest, is bright and perceptive. Having been the most sheltered, she struggles to distinguish right from wrong. Coen takes it upon himself to guide her, and the two share a particularly strong bond.

Coen is far from being a lone wolf, though whether his choices will spare him that fate remains to be seen. He has always been surrounded by his friends and loved ones – Laslea is a small village, where everyone knows each other.

Yet with Brencis and his retinue tightening their grip on the valley, these long-held values are beginning to fade. What remains is a memory, now tainted, upon which Coen must carve his own path in Vale Sangora.

With the vrakhiri taking over and capturing his family, Coen will have to learn his newfound powers to save them. Whether swinging his sword, wielding forbidden magic, or using his vampiric claws, the path ahead is sure to be bloody.

Discover more by watching our Summer Game Fest trailer:

To close this month’s Community Bulletin Board, here’s a question from our Discord:

We saw Brencis gave his blood to Lunka to heal her from the plague in the cinematic trailer. Will that affect her growth?

• Vampire blood has some healing properties for humans (which is how Brencis was able to force people of Vale Sangora into submission, promising them health and safety in times of the Black Plague), and it doesn't seem to have any other long-term effects on them... but who knows?

☼ September 3rd, 2026. Pre-order now. ☽

The Blood of Dawnwalker